


Smartypants

by grethan-allmance (Sapphire09)



Series: Grethan Drabbles [5]
Category: The Dolan Twins
Genre: Bromance, Dyslexia, Fluffy, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Stuff, hurt comfort, just FYI, just cute, they are kids in here so no romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 21:16:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17947274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire09/pseuds/grethan-allmance
Summary: Sometimes, Grayson wishes he doesn't have a twin.





	Smartypants

Sometimes, Grayson wishes he doesn't have a twin.

It's not just because things that were Ethan's fault were blamed on Grayson too as if they were the  _same_. But, also because they  _weren't_ the same, like when Ethan could read the picture books on his own,  _Grayson_ still has a hard time reading even a  _word_. 

He heard what the adults were saying when Ethan already started reading off the big signs on the streets and able to read the road signs. He could differentiate his right and left hand too, while Grayson still had trouble remembering which hand he used to eat. He also had more trouble forming the right sentence, mispronouncing words. Compared to Ethan, he was  _stupid._

His mom and dad said it was alright that he couldn't read yet. He has sis-disl _—_ _s_ _yslexia_ _(wait, that doesn't sound right)_. That meant something in his brain just couldn't do things the way other people can, the way  _Ethan_  can. But, that doesn't mean he can't ever read. He just needs to work harder.

He wanted to be able to read, like Ethan. Like Cam. He loved when Dad would read to him, doing the voices as if they really were in a fantasy world. He wanted to be able to read like Dad.

He also didn't want the kids at school to call him stupid again.

His parents did send him to a therapist. But, he didn't like to go there. The therapist was kind, but he had to be alone and it didn't feel...  _right_. He also couldn't get along with the kids there, who has the same or similar problem as him. His parents also tried to have someone over for private lessons instead, but somehow things kept happening, therapist backing out because of personal or professional duties and emergencies. So, eventually, Mom and dad had to teach him on their own.

But, his progress was slow. So slow, he didn't know if he was getting better or just getting worse.

It was so  _frustrating_.

Even now, as he sat on his chair and his picture book open on his desk, the letters keep floating away in front of his eyes. He didn't know how he was supposed to read them. He didn't  _understand_ how Ethan could read it so easily.

"C'mon, Gray! Let's play!" Ethan came barging in, pulling at Grayson's hand and shirt.

Grayson could barely read the first three word of the first page. It's been an hour and he was still  _stuck_.

"No!" Grayson refused, pulling his hand back harshly. Doesn't Ethan see he was trying to  _read?_  He wanted to at least read one  _page!_

"Why no—ot?" Ethan whined, draping himself over Grayson's back, arms around his neck and chin on Grayson's shoulder. Grayson was  _trying_ to  _read._

"I'm reading, E!"

"But, you can't read," Ethan said easily. He didn't say it like he was mocking Grayson, like every other kid in their school did. He said it like it  _is how it is_. Like, the sky is blue, Cameron is their sister _, Grayson can't read._

Grayson could feel his eyes burning.

"Besides, reading's  _boring_ ," Ethan whined, pulling at Grayson's shoulder now. "C'mon, let's play!"

Grayson wouldn't budge, trying to concentrate on the words even though his sight was getting blurry. He bowed his head and squinted his eyes, trying to see the words more up close as if it would help him read.

"I wanna finish this page first," Grayson mumbled. Ethan then leaned close again, looking at the page over Grayson's shoulder.

And proceeded to read the whole page out loud.

"There!" Ethan exclaimed proudly, "I read it for you! Now let's play!"

Grayson pushed at Ethan, harder than he actually meant, but he couldn't help his frustration. Ethan fell to his butt on the floor and before he could yell at Grayson for pushing him, Grayson took the book he was reading and threw it hard at Ethan's head. The front of the book hit Ethan's forehead, but it was a thin paperback, so it flew and rustled harmlessly at Ethan.

"What the hell, Gray!?" Ethan spluttered, about to throw the book back at Grayson in retaliation. But then he froze, eyes wide as looked up to Grayson's face.

Grayson's  _crying_ face.

Grayson tried to hold it in, biting his lips as he tried to will his tears to stop. But,  _but_ —

_It was unfair!_

_Ethan didn't even_ like  _reading._

_Unfair, unfair,_ _**unfair!** _

Grayson tried to breathe in, trying to calm himself, but instead of air, he choked instead. He then started crying in earnest, bawling loudly because it was so  _unfair_. 

"I HATE YOU!" he screamed out through snot and tears. "I DON'T WANNA PLAY! I  _HATE YOU_!"

Through his tears, he could still see how Ethan looked so stunned, sitting on his butt on the floor. It wasn't Ethan's fault, he knew. But—

_"His twin did so well with reading. Do you think something was wrong with him?"_

_"Why can't he just focus? Ethan had similar problem with focusing, but he still could do this."_

_"Poor dear. Your brother could do this so easily, why can't you?"_

Grayson cried and cried, until somehow Mom was in front of him, hugging him and whispering things he couldn't hear. Ethan was standing up now, looking confused and yelling "I don't know! He just cried! I didn't do anything!" when Mom asked him questions.

It wasn't Ethan's fault. It  _wasn't_. 

But he still hated how  _unfair_ it was.

* * *

Grayson curled around himself under the comforter, feeling tired and drained after his crying. He should apologize to Ethan. After all, he pushed his twin and threw a book to his head for practically no reason.

Dad told him that there was nothing wrong with him. Letters just float when he tried to read them, just like Ethan can't stand the sound of chewing. It wasn't wrong, they are who they are, and he is who he is. Accommodation just have to be made, that was all.

It wasn't Ethan's fault people like to compare them. They shouldn't have. After all, both of them are different. 

And it wasn't Ethan's fault that, despite what Dad said, he still couldn't shake off the things people liked saying.

So, it was  _unfair_ of him to get mad at Ethan, when his twin did nothing.

Grayson sniffled, remembering again what happened. Tears were coming out of his eyes again. This wasn't like the box incident,  _that_ was Ethan's fault. What if Ethan wouldn't talk to him again,  _ever?_  What if he's angry at Grayson now? What if—

"Gray?"

Grayson twitched, surprised to hear his twin calling out to him. He thought about getting out of the comforter, but... he was a little embarrassed to come out. So, he curled tighter instead.

"...Ethan?" he called out anyway, but not moving.

Then, he could feel his bed shaking and his comforter moving. The corner edge was lifted, and there was Ethan, climbing in. He crawled and wiggled until he was laying on his side, facing Grayson.

For a few seconds, they just stared at each other in the darkness of the comforter.

Grayson bit his lips. He should apologize now. 

**"I'm sorry!"**

Grayson blinked.

"Jinx!" Ethan exclaimed quickly. "Now you owe me.... uhh...soda!"

"...Does that even work when it's us?" Grayson wondered absently. "Seems weird, since all we have to do is take from the fridge anyway."

"It's the prin-ci-ple, Gray," Ethan argued. "I said 'jinx' first, so you have to give yours to me!"

"But it's everyone's soda."

"...Ugh, don't give me logic," Ethan groaned dramatically. Grayson couldn't help it, he giggled at it. Soon enough, Ethan joined in the giggling. Somehow, in their giggling, Ethan had crept closer. Their foreheads were touching, their fingertips curled together without them realizing it in front of their chests. 

They were silent after the giggling ceased. It was the comfortable, companionable kind of silence they always have between them. Like this, when they didn't have to say anything or do anything, besides being by near each other. It was nice, like this.

"Dad said I shouldn't bother you when you read," Ethan said softly. "That I— I wasn't making fun of you. You know that, right? I just, I didn't think it was important. I didn't like it, you were in your room all day, and you wouldn't play with me..."

Grayson knew.

"I'm sorry too," he replied back, just as softly. "I didn't mean anything I said. I'm... jealous, you can read. I just wanna read too, like you. Like other kids. I don't wanna be stupid..."

Tears were filling up his eyes again. But, now Ethan was there, hugging him tight in his childish skinny arms. 

"You're not stupid." 

"But I  _am_ _,"_ Grayson mumbled out miserably. Ethan hugged him tighter in response.

" _N_ o," Ethan said vehemently. " _You_ aren't allowed to call yourself stupid. Because you're  _no_ t. You just have  _dyslexia,_ and Dad said that doesn't mean  _stupid_. Just different."

Grayson couldn't help clinging tighter to Ethan. See? He even remembered the word  _dyslexia_ right.

"You call me stupid all the time."

"Well, I can call you stupid, because sometimes you  _were_ being stupid. Like now. Stupid. But, you can't call  _you_ stupid. That's, uh... forbidden! So, you can't call yourself stupid anymore. Only I can."

Ethan sounded so sure and order-y about it too, as if his words were all that mattered for it to be a rule everyone should go by. 

"That's stupid," Grayson muttered again, feeling like crying again, though this time he just pressed his face to Ethan's shoulder. " _You're_ stupid."

Ethan huffed, cuddling Grayson even closer and placed his chin on top of Grayson's head.

"Well, we're stupid together. That's not bad."

Ethan wasn't making sense anymore. But, Grayson did feel better.  _Together_.

Sure, there were times Grayson wished he didn't have a twin. But, he's forever grateful he has Ethan anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> That was dramatic....
> 
> Okay, so.... I have no idea how children speak. They probably sound too mature. I'm not even sure how old they're supposed to be here.... Around 6-8, maybe?


End file.
